Student voices

Module Choices and Structure — The Reason I Chose To Study Sociology At Warwick

There are a million and one things that attracted me to Warwick including its ranking in the UK and in the World, the fact that it’s a campus-based university and not a city one and so promotes a community style learning, as well as its location; it is in close proximity to major cities like Birmingham and London and has great transport links.

However, when looking specifically at sociology, I wanted a university that would capture the essence of the subject; one that would allow me to grow and learn while giving me the space to try new areas of study. Warwick does just this and this is one of the main reasons I chose to study here rather than elsewhere.

Modules

Warwick Sociology Department offers a variety of modules across all years and there is a very loose structure to what you can do with your options.

From the onset, this seemed like the kind of formation I wanted from my university degree. Below I will outline the top 3 reasons why I like the structure of the sociology degree:

There are a range of sociological modules to choose from within the department which cover a variety of concepts and authors. There are more contemporary modules as well as those that cover the historical elements of society and its formation.

I found that this structure and freedom of choice allowed me to learn a range of theories and concepts across my degree. As a finalist, I am planning on claiming a specialism, yet I have not been restricted throughout my degree to choose options that only fall into the specialism category. Rather, I have been able to have a taste of different modules through 1st and 2nd year before choosing what I want to specialize in for final year.

Other universities I looked at before applying did not have such a loose structure but more of a rigid one that had little room to manoeuvre as a student. This is the first reason I chose sociology at Warwick.

Module choices outside of the Department

As well as being able to choose modules within the sociology department, Warwick offers the opportunity to choose outside your degree from other departments. Typically, students choose modules from Politics, Philosophy, Psychology or Economics. These departments compliment sociology and can add an extra layer or different perspective to the sociology modules you study.

I have friends who have also chosen modules from Warwick Business School (WBS) as they want to go into marketing or similar lines of work.

15 CAT modules

Sociology offers mainly 15 CAT modules. What this means is that you study the topic for just a single term rather than across 2 terms like 30 CAT modules do. I personally feel this is beneficial as you get the opportunity to study more modules across your degree.

Why you should consider Sociology at Warwick

Choosing which university to study at can be a daunting task and one that is crucial to the next 3-5 years of your life. But I think that the choice of modules and freedom available in terms of manoeuvrability is essential, especially when studying a degree like sociology. I feel the sociology department at Warwick offers the right level of freedom as well as focus on your sociology degree and this is one of the top reasons I opted to study here!

Meena Khan, Final-year Undergraduate

Hello! This is my first blog post so bear with me, but I hope I can give you some helpful advice. My first term at Warwick has been filled with exciting lectures, meeting new people, and adjusting to living on campus.

Making the step to university can be daunting, but Warwick has an excellent support system to help whenever you need it. As a disabled student, I communicate with disability services often. They are very friendly and offer a wide range of support for a variety of disabilities and conditions.

It’s normal to feel overwhelmed in your first term, but reaching out for support always helps. The University has a counselling service who offer non-judgemental support to anyone, and have helped me to overcome my anxieties and I am quickly settling in. Students play a key role at Warwick and are at the heart of the University.

A lot of effort goes into making sure that everyone is valued here, and I have been struck by the sense of community. I’m not the most sociable person, but I have never felt alone for long, as there is always someone to help me. For me, it’s difficult not to focus on studying (I’d be lying if I said the work was easy!), but it’s this combined with the diverse and friendly atmosphere that has made my first term enjoyable.

My first term has been very fulfilling, and I would definitely encourage you to make the most of the amazing opportunities the Warwick community provides.

There are so many aspects of University life, one of them being, having to study in order to get the degree. In this blog, I’ll be writing about the importance of choosing your modules, and where to get advice and information from when choosing, in order to not only enjoy your time at University, but also study what you find interesting that will pave a path to success.

Module Credits and Assessment:
The modules you choose should total to 120 CATS over the year, and this is made up of modules that are normally either 15 CATS, or 30 CATS which are spread over two terms. Choosing these modules are integral in providing a stimulating study experience and so you want to pick the ones you like, but also the ones you feel you will succeed in. This is why finding out the form of assessment is important- if you prefer exams over essays, it might be useful to choose a module with an exam assessment as it plays to your strengths.

Module Choices:
The first question you want to ponder when picking your modules is “Am I interested in this?” If you are- great! If you find other modules more exciting then it’s worthwhile going for those you’ll want to get out of bed and go to that 10am lecture for, rather than ones that you don’t want to study for a whole term. Speaking to friends on the same course is another great way to think about module choices, as if you discuss course content and find it engaging, it might be the right module for you. BUT- Don’t feel like you should pick the modules your friends have chosen… although you might not want to separate from your friends, at University you’ll constantly be meeting new people and they’re also in the same position as you!

Information and Advice:
Picking your modules can be a daunting process, but there are many ways to get support when choosing. One of the most informative ways is to speak to the lecturers teaching the module. By having a quick chat or sending an email, they could provide you with the course content which might make the decision easier, if it’s interesting to you, it might be worth choosing! Aside from lecturers, the Sociology society is made up of students from various years, and so asking a student in the year above who has taken a specific module you are interested in can tell you about the module from a student perspective and also provide support.

Take advantage of the large scope of modules that the Sociology department provide, it can be overwhelming, but it’s important to study what you find interesting and want to learn more about, rather than a module that might look impressive on paper, but doesn’t hold your attention at all. Whichever modules you do eventually choose, enjoy them- they might get tedious at times but in the end it’ll all be worth it!

Simran Grewal, Final-year Undergraduate

I arrived at the University of Warwick in the first week of October, which was Freshers’ Week, with my sister. This week could also be described as the ‘moving-in’ week because all the first years are coming in and trying to settle in their respective accommodations. I met a few of my flat mates (not all as there are 16 of them – I live in Rootes), and they were all really nice and friendly.

Freshers’ Week is exciting for freshers, mainly because of the parties! The Student Union had organised events for each Freshers’ weeknight as a way of meeting new people and making friends. There was a welcome party on the first night of the week, which I went to, and made some amazing friends at! I did not attend other SU events because I do not like partying, but there were events every single day and you could get a Freshers’ Pass to attend these.

During this week I was busy settling in and decorating my room to make it more home-like – I got some posters from the on-campus poster sale. We were all aware that our official lectures and seminars would commence from the second week, and so we were also in preparation for that. On the course I met more people and made friends with them; making friends on your courses is easier as you see them every day.

Weekends, for me, were very exciting, as there has not been a single weekend spent on campus in my first term. I have always travelled to a new city on weekends with my sister, and simultaneously managed to do all my homework for the upcoming week. Yes, sometimes it became stressful as I have assignments and essay deadlines, but I still managed to enjoy it! Travelling itself is easy once you get a hold of it; at first I was scared because I am an international student and didn’t know how everything worked, but now I would say it has become easier for me as I know where I am going!

Overall, looking back at my term 1 experience, I would say that even though I had a lot of work, I still managed to submit my assignments on time and at the same time have fun! Fun is not just partying and clubbing, I had fun by exploring new places and cities with friends and family.